RetailBox: Quite Possibly The Best Screensaver App For iOS

Setting high quality video screensavers on an iPhone or iPad is hard work… it just can’t be done. Apple makes it impossible to set a video as your device’s wallpaper or lock screen, and you can’t enable a screensaver, as you can on Mac.

Software Network knew this, but still developed a screensaver app anyway. They’ve named it RetailBox, and although it’s primarily aimed at retail and business users (we’ll talk about why later on), it’s available for anyone to purchase, straight from the App Store, for only $0.99.

The interface is nothing but elegant and simple – it gets the job done, and that job is to allow the user to play back screensavers and browse their collection. RetailBox’s explore pane lists all categories of screensavers that you can download, with New Arrivals and For You sliders that provide quick access with relevant, high quality screensavers that you could love.

Managing your device is simple – tapping the triple dot button next to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch’s name lets you view your RetailBox version, device details and data usage. On this – you have a 500MB limit (if using the App Store version), so you will be capped per month, but this resets on a 30-day basis. RetailBox uses online services to store screensavers, and allow them to be downloaded by each individual user, rather than bundling them directly inside the app. This means that, to allow everyone to access screensaver videos, you are capped.

We love RetailBox’s store-built features. Library Lock (accessed in Settings > Library Lock) adds a layer of security, using your Face or Touch ID or a passcode to exit screensavers on a device – preventing that unauthorised access you wouldn’t want in a store environment. Smart Store, coming soon in a future software update, looks to be a dashboard for store owners, where you’ll be able to manage and view devices that have RetailBox installed and look at their status and device information.

The December Collection, which has recently been included, features stunning screensavers of Ariel views that overlook oceans and other scenes. Even better – if you have an iPhone X, XS or 11 Pro, you’ll be looking at this breathtaking content in 4K HDR. Every month, new screensavers are added, and we love the customisation that the developers have built in – Dark Mode support, custom app icons and more.

Overall, RetailBox is a must-have, even if you’re a standard Apple user. It’s optimised for larger iPad displays, alongside iPhone and iPod touch, works with iOS 13 and takes advantage of many features that are provided to developers by Apple. There’s no denying that the screensavers are the best part of the app.

Download RetailBox from the App Store, or learn more on Software Network’s website.

When you go into an Apple Store, you’ll notice iPhones on the stand, displaying an Apple-made screensaver. This feature is only available on official demo devices, so, if you’re setting up your own store, RetailBox allows for this functionality on any device, albeit without Apple screensavers – custom ones.

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Ben Ward

Senior Editor, discussing everything Apple and supporting other writers and members of Apple TLD's team of volunteers.

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